The late John Wayne, center, devoted his later years to spending more time with his family, including his two youngest children, Ethan, left, born in 1962, and Marisa, born four years later. John Wayne lost his battle with cancer in June 1979.

Director John Ford's classic 1956 film "The Searchers" finds John Wayne, center, delivering one of his greatest performances as Ethan Edwards. Texas Rangers Capt. Samuel Johnson Clayton (played by Ward Bond), right, agrees to give Martin Pawley (Jeffrey Hunter) only a few minutes to look for Edwards' niece before leading an attack on an Indian camp.

The atmosphere of the second John Wayne Film Festival over the Labor Day Weekend was intimate, bringing people from all over the state and country to Snyder.

Volunteer and previous coordinator Leslie Light said Snyder offered the perfect setting for the John Wayne Film Festival.

“It’s much better, I think, because it’s a smaller town and they can embrace it,” Light said, “and it gives everyone another reason to come to Snyder.”

Fans of Wayne were able to watch some of his films on the screen of the 100-year-old Ritz Community Theatre, and even some films that did not feature the Duke.

Light said festival coordinator Barry Tubb made a few changes this year, which included a few new screenings.

“This year he’s showing ‘Lonesome Dove’,” Light said, “and a part in ‘Lonesome Dove’ was actually written for John Wayne and Barry was in Lonesome Dove so there’s a couple of different connections.”

Eric Dorton, a Texas Tech graduate who now lives in Denton, was a sponsor for the three-day festival.

“My first John Wayne Film? It was probably at the Jet Drive In Theatre in Big Spring and I was probably not even born yet,” Dorton said. “Literally, I’ve been watching John Wayne movies since I was born.”

Dorton said one of the main reasons he decided to sponsor the film festival was because the proceeds benefit the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.

“It’s a lot of fun around a serious purpose,” Dorton said, “and in real life, there’s so many serious things, but you want to make a serious subject as fun as possible.”

Wayne’s youngest daughter, Marisa Wayne, said she has been a friend of Tubb for years and was present at the film festival this year for support.

Wayne said the idea was all Tubb’s, and she and her family gave their blessing.

“My husband comes out here every Labor Day to hunt with him,” Wayne said, “and he was like, ‘well why don’t we do a film fest out here during the hunt? It’ll be really fun and we can play movies’ and so he just kind of took it from there.”

Wayne said her dad would have been proud to have a film festival in Snyder.

“Texas, first of all, my dad loved Texans and I can’t imagine a better place in the United States than Texas with the cowboy movies and the real cowboy persona,” Wayne said. “Texas and Texans had a very special place in his heart, so I think it’s a very fitting place to have this.”

Wayne said she is always astounded by her dad’s fan base.

“Everywhere I go,” Wayne said, “it’s just amazing to me that 30 years after my dad’s death, he still holds a place in so many people’s hearts.”

Melissa Elam, executive director of the Snyder Chamber of Commerce, said the film festival is not only important for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation but also for Snyder because of the people it brings in.

“One of the major things,” Elam said, “is that we’re bringing such a diverse group of people from all over Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas from all different backgrounds to Snyder, showing them what we have to offer, and we’re giving them an experience that they wouldn’t get in Los Angeles or in Austin.”

Elam said last year about 500 people attended the three-day festival and they hoped to see that many by the end of this year’s festival today.

Kristopher Mackey, a John Wayne fan from Austin, said he came to the festival to see a few films and to help the volunteers.

“I was telling a friend that it doesn’t feel like a film festival,” Mackey said. “It feels like a family reunion, and I think this is why I want to do something to help because ... this is John Wayne and I think we shouldn’t have 20 people per screening; I think we should have 250 people per screening.”

John Wayne’s granddaughter, Anita Swift, who was also present at the festival, said everything had been going great so far, however, she would change one thing for next year.

“I hope we don’t do the opening night dinner on the night of the Snyder Tigers’ first football game,” Swift said with a laugh. “Friday night football, West Texas; it’s a big deal.”

Swift said, jokes aside, she hopes the festival continues to grow and brings more people out to support the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.

“All of the profits go to the foundation,” Swift said. “Last year, Barry gave us $13,000, and hopefully this year we’ll get a little more. Every little bit helps.”